The Goal of Humble People

Recently, The New York Times featured an article by Peter Coy entitled, “Humility Is a Virtue. But Can Humble People Succeed in the Modern World?”

Coy is asking the wrong question. By “succeed in the modern world,” he means building wealth in a capitalist system. However, the goal of humble people is not to become wealthy but to serve others and love greatly, as Jesus did.

Sometimes, humble people do make a lot of money. For example, Yvon Chouinard, the founder of the company Patagonia, became a billionaire by selling outdoor apparel. However, his goal was not to become a successful businessman but to help save the environment. Recently, he and his family gave the entire company away to a nonprofit organization that will use the money to combat climate change and protect undeveloped land around the world. In Chouinard’s hands, money was a tool to protect God’s creation and provide a livable earth for future generations rather than a status symbol or a means to live extravagantly.

Cultivating humility is a tricky thing. Meister Eckhart said, “My work is to free myself of myself so God can be born in me.” Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh acknowledged the difficulty of such a task in his response to the question of how to achieve humility: “Humility is too exalted a goal, but perhaps you could aim for the halfway house of gratitude.” We will know we are the road to humility not by the markers of success in the modern world but by our level of gratitude for unearned gifts that God showers on us every day.